[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 49 (Thursday, March 16, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S822]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ARMS SALES NOTIFICATION
Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control
Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain
proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification,
the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be
reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the
notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant
information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to
have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received.
If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is
available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations
Committee, room SD-423.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
Defense Security
Cooperation Agency,
Washington, DC.
Hon. Robert Menendez,
Chairman, Committee on Foreign Relations,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: Pursuant to the reporting requirements
of Section 36(b)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act, as
amended, we are forwarding herewith Transmittal No. 23-02,
concerning the Navy's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and
Acceptance to the Government of Australia for defense
articles and services estimated to cost $895 million. We will
issue a news release to notify the public of this proposed
sale upon delivery of this letter to your office.
Sincerely,
Mike Miller
(For James A. Hursch, Director).
Enclosures
transmittal no. 23-02
Notice of Proposed Issuance of Letter of Offer Pursuant to
Section 36(b)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act, as
amended.
(i) Prospective Purchaser: Government of Australia.
(ii) Total Estimated Value:
Major Defense Equipment * $526 million.
Other $369 million.
Total $895 million.
(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
Major Defense Equipment (MDE):
Up to two hundred (200) Tomahawk Block V All Up Rounds
(AUR)(RGM-109E).
Up to twenty (20) Tomahawk Block IV All Up Rounds
(AUR)(RGM-109E).
Non-MDE: Also included is support for all three segments of
Australia's Tomahawk Weapon System (TWS) to include the All
Up Round (AUR), the Tactical Tomahawk Weapon Control System
(TTWCS) and the Theater Mission Planning Center (TMPC). The
support consists of unscheduled missile maintenance; spares;
procurement; training; in-service support; software;
hardware; communication equipment; operational flight test;
engineering and technical expertise to maintain the TWS
capability; and other related elements of logistical and
program support.
(iv) Military Department: Navy (AT-P-LGJ).
(v) Prior Related Cases, if any: None.
(vi) Sales Commission, Fee, etc., Paid, Offered, or Agreed
to be Paid: None.
(vii) Sensitivity of Technology Contained in the Defense
Article or Defense Services Proposed to be Sold: See Attached
Annex.
(viii) Date Report Delivered to Congress: March 16, 2023.
* As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control
Act.
policy justification
Australia--Tomahawk Weapon System
The Government of Australia has requested to buy up to two
hundred (200) Tomahawk Block V All Up Rounds (AUR) (RGM-
109E); and up to twenty (20) Tomahawk Block IV All Up Rounds
(AUR) (RGM-109E). Also included is support for all three
segments of Australia's Tomahawk Weapon System (TWS) to
include the All Up Round (AUR), the Tactical Tomahawk Weapon
Control System (TTWCS) and the Theater Mission Planning
Center (TMPC). The support consists of unscheduled missile
maintenance; spares; procurement; training; in-service
support; software; hardware; communication equipment;
operational flight test; engineering and technical expertise
to maintain the TWS capability; and other related elements of
logistical and program support. The estimated total cost is
$895 million.
This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and
national security objectives of the United States. Australia
is one of our most important allies in the Western Pacific.
The strategic location of this political and economic power
contributes significantly to ensuring peace and economic
stability in the region. It is vital to the U.S. national
interest to assist our ally in developing and maintaining a
strong and ready self-defense capability.
The proposed sale will improve Australia's capability to
interoperate with U.S. maritime forces and other allied
forces as well as its ability to contribute to missions of
mutual interest. By deploying the Tomahawk Weapon System,
Australia will contribute to global readiness and enhance the
capability of U.S. Forces operating alongside them globally.
Australia will use the enhanced capability as a deterrent to
regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defense.
Australia will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment
into its armed forces.
The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not
alter the basic military balance in the region.
The prime U.S. contractor will be Raytheon Missiles and
Defense, Tucson, AZ. There are no known offset agreements
proposed in connection with this potential sale.
Implementation of this proposed sale will require multiple
trips by U.S. Government representatives and contractor
personnel to visit Australia on a temporary basis over the
life of the case to support delivery and integration of items
and to provide supply support management, inventory control,
and equipment familiarization. Visits will also include
program and technical reviews.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness
as a result of this proposed sale.
transmittal no. 23-02
Notice of Proposed Issuance of Letter of Offer Pursuant to
Section 36(b)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act
Annex Item No. vii
(vii) Sensitivity of Technology:
1. The Block IV/V All Up Round (AUR) consists of the RGM-
109E Tomahawk cruise missile assembled in a canister for
surface launch. Tomahawk Block IV/V capabilities include,
increased system flexibility, improved system response times,
improved lethality against an increased target set, improved
accuracy, improved Anti-Jam GPS Receiver (AGR) with Selective
Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) capability,
enhanced availability due to a 15-year maintenance interval
and two-way communications between missile and Strike/Missile
Controllers via Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Satellite
Communications (SATCOM). The two-way communication
capability, provided by the Satellite Data Link Terminal
(SDLT) enables Mission Planners and the Strike/Missile
Controller to issue in-flight missile retargeting commands,
receive in-flight missile Health & Status (H&S)
transmissions, obtain Battle Damage Indication (BDI) data and
obtain single-frame Battle Damage Indication Imagery (BDII)
using the onboard camera that is part of the Digital Scene
Matching Area Correlator (DSMAC) Sensor Assembly (DSA).
2. The highest level of classification of defense articles,
components, and services included in this potential sale is
SECRET.
3. If a technologically advanced adversary were to obtain
knowledge of the specific hardware and software elements, the
information could be used to develop countermeasures that
might reduce weapon system effectiveness or be used in the
development of a system with similar or advanced
capabilities.
4. A determination has been made that Australia can provide
substantially the same degree of protection for the sensitive
technology being released as the U.S. Government. This sale
is necessary in furtherance of the U.S. foreign policy and
national security objectives outlined in the Policy
Justification.
5. All defense articles and services listed in this
transmittal have been authorized for release and export to
Australia.
____________________